NC State is expected to rely on its passing game this season, so it was no surprise that sixth-year senior quarterback Ryan Finley and junior wide receiver Kelvin Harmon both earned preseason first-team All-ACC honors.

The 6-4, 210-pound Finley completed 312 of 479 throws (65.1 percent) for 3,518 yards with 17 touchdowns and six interceptions, plus added 69 carries for 194 yards and three scores, for the 9-4 Wolfpack in 2017. He opted not to enter the NFL Draft so that he could finish what he started in Raleigh.

The former Boise State graduate transfer enters his final season with the Wolfpack ranked fifth in school history in career passing yards (6,577), completions (555), passing attempts (881) and total offense (6,856 yards). He also ranks seventh with 35 career touchdown passes.

The 6-3, 213-pound Harmon caught 69 passes for 1,017 yards and four touchdowns a year ago to become the first Wolfpack receiver since Jerricho Cotchery in 2003 to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark. He had six 100-yard receiving games, and his seven career 100-yard performances ranks fifth in school history.

Finley also was third in the preseason ACC Player of the Year balloting, tallying 37 votes. Boston College sophomore running back AJ Dillon was the top vote-getter, and Clemson senior defensive tackle Christian Wilkins finished second.

The preseason ACC Player of the Year and all-conference team was selected by a vote of 148 media members that were credentialed for last week’s ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte.

Eleven of the league’s 14 football programs placed at least one player on the 2018 All-ACC Preseason Team. Ten of the selections earned first-team All-ACC last year, including five from Clemson — offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt, center Justin Falcinelli, defensive end Clelin Ferrell, and defensive tackles Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence. Dillon, Duke cornerback Mark Gilbert, Duke linebacker Joe Giles-Harris, Louisville wide receiver Jaylen Smith and North Carolina return man Anthony Ratliff-Williams were also first-team selections in 2017.

(Total votes in parenthesis)

Offense

WR — Jaylen Smith, Louisville (90)

WR — Kelvin Harmon, NC State (71)

WR — Hunter Renfrow, Clemson (62)

TE — Tommy Sweeney, Boston College (106)

AP — Greg Dortch, Wake Forest (64)

OT — Mitch Hyatt, Clemson (130)

OT — Chris Lindstrom, Boston College (72)

OG — Parker Braun, Georgia Tech (83)

OG — Phil Haynes, Wake Forest (65)

C — Justin Falcinelli, Clemson (56)

QB — Ryan Finley, NC State (102)

RB — AJ Dillon, Boston College (112)

RB — Cam Akers, Florida State (94)

Defense

DE — Clelin Ferrell, Clemson (122)

DE — Austin Bryant, Clemson (80)

DT — Christian Wilkins, Clemson (122)

DT — Dexter Lawrence, Clemson (119)

LB — Joe Giles-Harris, Duke (103)

LB — Shaquille Quarterman, Miami (98)

LB — Kendall Joseph, Clemson (84)

CB — Mark Gilbert, Duke (79)

CB — Michael Jackson, Miami (68)

S — Jaquan Johnson, Miami (103)

S — Lukas Denis, Boston College (64)

Special Teams

PK — Ricky Aguayo, Florida State (119)

P — Sterling Hofrichter, Syracuse (33)

SP — Anthony Ratliff-Williams, North Carolina (97)

AJ Dillon, RB, Boston College — 45

Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson — 42

Ryan Finley, QB, NC State — 37

Cam Akers, RB, Florida State — 13

Greg Dortch, WR, Wake Forest — 3

Joe Giles-Harris, LB, Duke — 2

TaQuon Marshall, QB, Georgia Tech — 2

Zach Allen, DE, Boston College — 1

Eric Dungey, QB, Syracuse — 1

Olamide Zaccheaus, HB, Virginia — 1

Jaylen Smith, WR, Louisville — 1

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